My Wife Is A Sword Immortal
Chapter 271 - 219 Huaijin Holds the Jade

Chapter 271: Chapter 219 Huaijin Holds the Jade

The Shuaixing Hall was quite spacious.

Zhao Rong looked around and saw that about thirty to forty students had already taken their seats, though there were still many empty ones.

"Including us, everyone should be here," Fan Yushu said as he walked.

He noticed Zhao Rong looking around and casually said:

"This academy serves as a relatively fixed venue for activities for us, Shuaixing Hall students. Usually, we can come here for morning and evening readings. If there’s any academy business or if our senior Mr. Yu is in the mood to give us a lecture, we will gather here."

Fan Yushu was introducing the place when he noticed a stern-looking woman in the front row staring at him. He turned his head and flashed her a brilliant smile, as if the complaints he had just shared with Zhao Rong outside never existed.

"What about when teachers conduct classes?" Zhao Rong withdrew his gaze and asked.

Fan Yushu turned back with a smile, "The teachers’ classrooms are not fixed... well, let’s just say, our academy’s teachers are quite unique, you’ll see."

Zhao Rong followed Fan Yushu to an empty spot in the back to sit down.

Fan Yushu confidently made his way to a corner seat.

The seating in the Shuaixing Hall consisted of low rosewood desks paired with bamboo mats for kneeling, but his spot was padded with a soft, velvety cushion.

Fan Yushu plopped down comfortably, twisting a bit. He then laid across the desk, which was covered with a silky cloth, grabbed a book, opened it, and placed it on the back of his head. He exhaled a long breath, "Ah, comfortable. The kneeling mats in Four Seasons Hall are too hard; they almost made my butt bloom."

Fan Yushu’s complaints were quite loud in the previously quiet Shuaixing Hall after that stern woman walked in.

Yu Huaijin, who was in the front row, turned his head with a stern look.

Fan Yushu felt the killing intent and, sensing the danger, his body snapped upright, sitting very properly.

The book that had been on his head flew off to the back.

Yu Huaijin and the stern-faced Fan Yushu locked eyes for a moment before Huaijin turned his head back around.

Zhao Rong saw this scene and chuckled, shaking his head.

He took a seat next to Fan Yushu, glanced outside, and asked:

"What is the art class this afternoon?"

Fan Yushu thought for a moment, "Today... ah, it’s Music Art, Teacher Si’s class."

He turned to Zhao Rong, speaking seriously, "Believe me, you will like Teacher Si’s class."

Zhao Rong shook his head, took out a book of Confucian Classics annotations given by Teacher Yan, opened it, and began to read, saying:

"Music Art? Uninteresting."

Zhao Rong had long discovered he had little talent for music, knowing only a bit about the musical scales mentioned in the Confucian Classics and having played very few tunes.

Previously in Zhongnan Country, when he casually played halfway, Lin Wenruo criticized his zither skill. The zither "Mingyu" that Wenruo then gifted him did spark some interest in Zhao Rong, but later it seemed as though Wenruo forgot, and never sent another one.

So now, Zhao Rong really had no interest in zither skill.

However, Music Art was listed as one of the Six Arts of Confucian Students and was indeed important within Confucianism.

It paired with another art, "Ritual," its importance rivaling the major arts of Confucianism.

The ancient sage said, "Established in rituals, perfected in music."

Because "rituals distinguish, music unites."

Rituals differentiate people’s social ranks and statuses, but if they solely emphasized differences, it would create psychological and emotional imbalances among the people of a country.

This would be detrimental for the small countries governed by Confucians, or even for those vast dynasties encompassing the Mountain Immortals.

After all, Confucianism emphasizes being worldly, governing for peace and stability.

A stable country or force should be able to distinguish different levels but, more importantly, unite these separated classes.

Thus, the modulation of "music unites" was introduced; music provided a way to break down differences in status.

In the hierarchically strict Ritual Dynasty, "music" became a crucial bond in harmonizing emotions and maintaining order.

Because the appreciation of "music" is common, it can connect feelings.

Not only among the nobles and civilians within mere mortal dynasties, but also between mountain cultivators and mortals, the Xuanhuang Human Clan and diverse Demon Race, all could use "music" to connect and subtly smooth conflicts.

Additionally, the ritual ceremonies at the Confucian Temple and some of the array setups of Ritual Art also required music to assist.

That is the "Music Art" of the Six Arts of Confucian Students.

It is said that Great Cultivators who follow the musical path of Confucianism, their grand music can influence the emotions of a nation’s people, instilling purity and simplicity.

However, "music" as an art differs from Scriptures and Rites; it’s unique to Confucianism, though other scholars from various schools also excel in music.

Rumor has it, among the various Mountain Schools, there are those who have perfected "music" to the extreme, bearing the ancient title of Music Master.

"No, no, no," seeing Zhao Rong’s uninterested demeanor, Fan Yushu shook his head, "Ziyu, if that’s the case, you’ll definitely like Teacher Si’s class."

Zhao Rong turned a page in his book, his gaze fixed on it, yet he raised an eyebrow.

Fan Yushu spoke earnestly, "Teacher Si never looks at us during class, so, Ziyu, know this, you can do whatever you want."

"Oh, that sounds good," Zhao Rong agreed, nodding his head. Having chosen the Classical Confucian path, his mind was consumed with matters of the Confucian Classics. Encountering this type of hands-off teacher, Zhao Rong could now spare his energy to tend to his own pursuits.